Editor's note: Dr. Light T. Cummins was the State Historian of Texas in 2011 when he reflected on the 50th anniversary of President Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower's farewell address.

“In the councils of government,” he warned, “we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”

Those words have become a common part of our basic political lexicon ever since. As both a general and a political leader, Dwight Eisenhower was in a truly unique position to observe the strong partnership between the armed forces and the nation’s industrial complex that had come to dominate much of the American economy since the 1940s and World War II.

President Eisenhower had first hand seen the military-industrial complex win that war and create American security during the subsequent Cold War. Importantly, he had in point of fact played a significant personal role in its creation as a military commander and President of the United States. His own personal involvement in helping to forge the modern military-industrial complex put very sharp teeth indeed into the words of his farewell address.

Today, people often forget the second part of his warning when said: “Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

Most historians would say that in the years since 1961, the American people have been successful and vigilant by remaining “alert and knowledgeable” in response to his warning. As a nation, the American people have consistently embraced strategies that permit meshing peaceful methods with maintaining our military defense. The American people voiced their concerns about maintaining this balance during the Vietnam Era, while in modern times they have not been fearful of sending troops abroad to problem spots around the world in order to guard our security.

Our history consistently shows that no person or group of people can be successful in leading the American people to places they do not wish to go. That has proven true for the military-industrial complex, in part because of President Eisenhower's warning.